Tokyo, Aug. 17 (Jiji Press)--An experts' panel investigating fatal child abuse cases in Japan in fiscal 2015 reported Thursday that over 30% of the mothers of the dead children did not receive checkup…

Gaza, Aug. 16 (Jiji Press)—A team that developed a device to produce biogas and liquid manure from garbage has won a business contest hosted by young Japanese people in the self-governing Palestinian …

Cats are royalty in Japan. Each month a slew of new feline-themed books, toys, and other goods hit store shelves, suggesting that the country’s obsession with the cuddly animals is here to stay. Socia…

Tokyo, Aug. 15 (Jiji Press)—The Japanese government aims to increase the combined capacity of company-led nurseries to some 70,000 children before fiscal 2017 ends next March, up from the initially ta…

Cormorant fishing, a method that involves lighting a fire to lure sweetfish and catching them with tamed cormorants, is today a popular tourist attraction that marks the beginning of summer in Japan. …

Higashishirakawa, Gifu Pref., Aug. 15 (Jiji Press)—A US World War II veteran on Tuesday returned a Japanese flag he recovered on the Pacific island of Saipan seven decades ago to the family of the fal…

The Japanese Constitution was drafted in the early postwar years and has never been amended. In this essay, a constitutional history and politics specialist examines Japan’s basic law as compared to i…

Higashishirakawa, Gifu Pref., Aug. 15 (Jiji Press)—A US World War II veteran on Tuesday returned a Japanese flag he recovered on the Pacific island of Saipan seven decades ago to the family of the fal…

The Japanese Constitution was drafted in the early postwar years and has never been amended. In this essay, a constitutional history and politics specialist examines Japan’s basic law as compared to i…

Tokyo, Aug. 11 (Jiji Press)—Since Japan's Emperor Akihito signaled his wish to abdicate a year ago, an increasing number of officials at the Imperial Household Agency have come to believe it best for …

Tokyo, Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)—The Japanese government has been alarmed by increasing tensions amid a bitter war of words between US President Donald Trump and North Korea over the reclusive state's miss…

Tokyo, Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)—Speculation is growing that Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzō may dissolve the House of Representatives for a snap election on October 22 in a pre-emptive move against a p…

Tokyo, Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)—Public support for Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzō's cabinet rebounded 6.7 percentage points in August from a month before to 36.6%, after falling below 30% in the previ…

Nagasaki, Aug. 9 (Jiji Press)—Nagasaki Mayor Taue Tomihisa called for an end to countries' reliance on nuclear weapons as a means to protect themselves, as the southwestern Japan city marked the 72nd …

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi arrived in Japan on Monday for a five-day visit to promote Japan-Iran relations. Araghchi, who served as Iran’s ambassador to Japan from 2008 to 20…

Tokyo, Aug. 7 (Jiji Press)—Japanese lawmaker Wakasa Masaru, who is close to popular Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko, said Monday that he has established the Nippon First no Kai (Japan First), a new politi…

Hiroshima, Aug. 6 (Jiji Press)—Hiroshima Mayor Matsui Kazumi called for further global efforts to abolish nuclear weapons as the western Japan city marked the seventy-second anniversary of the US atom…

In Japan, debate over constitutional revision tends to focus narrowly on such hot-button issues as Article 9 (Renunciation of War) and the status of the emperor. Constitutional scholar Inoue Takeshi a…

Tokyo, Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)—Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzō said Thursday that there should be no predetermined time frame for his long-cherished goal of amending the country's constitution, which w…

According to standard economic theory, a shortage of workers will cause wages to rise. Why is this not happening in Japan? Is it because of insufficient capital investment, as the government suggests?…

Tokyo, Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)—Japanese companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's first section are expected to see their combined recurring profit for fiscal 2017 hit a record high, a Jiji Press su…

Tokyo, Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)—Toshiba Corp. said on Thursday it has obtained a "qualified opinion" from its auditor for its financial statement for the year ended last March, averting the risk of an imm…

Tokyo, Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)—Japanese business sentiment rose to its highest level in over three years in July due partly to strong air conditioner demand amid high temperatures, a survey released by Te…

Tokyo (Jiji Press)—Japan's agriculture ministry has launched efforts to increase certified agricultural producers in preparation for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, where the number of meals …

Tokyo (Jiji Press)—The share of women among major Japanese companies' executives has risen to 5.1%, though the level is still very low by international standards, a Jiji Press survey revealed on July …

Tokyo, July 26 (Jiji Press)—The Japanese government is poised to impose a safeguard measure to protect domestic cattle farmers against foreign beef for the first time in 14 years, in response to a sur…

Tokyo, July 23 (Jiji Press)—Two Bank of Japan Policy Board members who were vocal in their opposition to the BOJ's current monetary policy left office Sunday as they reached the end of their five-year…

How does the Bank of Japan intend to exit from quantitative and qualitative easing? Having reported on monetary policy over many years, the author anticipates the steps the BOJ is likely to take and e…

How can Japan revive its struggling local economies in the face of depopulation and severed budget constraints? Speaking from long personal and professional experience, Kinoshita Hitoshi calls for a s…

Brussels, July 5 (Jiji Press)—Japan and the European Union reached a broad accord in their four-year-old trade negotiations on Wednesday, set to create a free trade zone that covers 30% of trade aroun…

Tokyo, Aug. 8 (Jiji Press)—Japanese automaker Mazda Motor Corp. said Tuesday it will commercialize a next-generation gasoline engine in 2019 that will be 20–30% more fuel efficient than existing model…

Tokyo, Aug. 2 (Jiji Press)—An investigation committee of the University of Tokyo has found that a professor at its Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences committed misconduct, including data …

Kyoto, Aug. 1 (Jiji Press)—Kyoto University said Tuesday that it and three other major Japanese universities are slated to conduct the world's first clinical trial of a drug candidate discovered with …

Tokyo, July 6 (Jiji Press)—An observation rocket developed by Japanese startup Interstellar Technologies Inc. is scheduled to blast off from a launch site in the town of Taiki, Hokkaidō, northern Japa…

We have reached an age when humankind is attempting various new ventures in space. What will the future of manned space activities look like? A science journalist familiar with space development trend…

The National Museum of Nature and Science maintains a list of “Essential Historical Materials for Science and Technology,” each year registering important technologies that have had major impacts in t…

The Japan Meteorological Agency conducts oceanographic observations using two dedicated research vessels. Since 1967, these ships have annually measured the composition of seawater along the 137º east…

In March this year, an editorial in the British journal Nature showed that the pace of scientific research in Japan has slowed considerably over the past decade. Nakano Tōru, a leading stem cell resea…

Tsuruoka, Yamagata Pref., May 12 (Jiji Press)—Tolerant of extreme environments, such as temperatures of –273ºC and complete vacuums, tardigrades, commonly known as water bears, are called the stronges…

Tokyo, Aug. 17 (Jiji Press)--An experts' panel investigating fatal child abuse cases in Japan in fiscal 2015 reported Thursday that over 30% of the mothers of the dead children did not receive checkup…

Gaza, Aug. 16 (Jiji Press)—A team that developed a device to produce biogas and liquid manure from garbage has won a business contest hosted by young Japanese people in the self-governing Palestinian …

Cats are royalty in Japan. Each month a slew of new feline-themed books, toys, and other goods hit store shelves, suggesting that the country’s obsession with the cuddly animals is here to stay. Socia…

Tokyo, Aug. 15 (Jiji Press)—The Japanese government aims to increase the combined capacity of company-led nurseries to some 70,000 children before fiscal 2017 ends next March, up from the initially ta…

Tokyo, Aug. 9 (Jiji Press)—A record number of employers accepting trainees from abroad under Japan's Technical Intern Training Program violated labor laws in 2016, the Ministry of Labor said Wednesday…

The number of white-fronted geese increased 33-fold in half a century, but farmers saw them as a pest. A pioneering initiative in their largest wintering ground, Izunuma in Miyagi Prefecture, is helpi…

Japanese language schools have been growing in number year after year, and there are now more than 600 in operation around the country. But many of their students have come to earn rather than learn, …

Tokyo (Jiji Press)—Municipalities are gunning to revitalize their regions by taking part in the central government's project to encourage local governments to host foreign athletes and staff participa…

Tokyo, July 31 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government released Monday an outline of regulations for so-called integrated resorts, or IRs, that feature casinos, including measures to prevent gambling ad…

Wild geese were once a common sight throughout Japan, but overhunting since the late 1800s caused their numbers to decline drastically to just 5,000. Geese migrate to Japan from Siberia, and it was a …

Cats are royalty in Japan. Each month a slew of new feline-themed books, toys, and other goods hit store shelves, suggesting that the country’s obsession with the cuddly animals is here to stay. Socia…

Cormorant fishing, a method that involves lighting a fire to lure sweetfish and catching them with tamed cormorants, is today a popular tourist attraction that marks the beginning of summer in Japan. …

As the summer sun beats down, the broad crowns of Japan’s old-growth trees cast long, cooling shadows across the forest floor. The shade of kyoju offer a welcome respite from the season’s heat, soothi…

With blockbusters like Shinkai Makoto’s Kimi no na wa (Your Name) making waves around the world, the Japanese animation industry would appear to be bursting with vitality. Yet behind the scenes at the…

Photography fans new to Tokyo should make one of their first stops TOP, the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum. Since opening in 1995, the museum has introduced outstanding examples of photographic culture…

Few museums anywhere in the world specialize solely in photography and video. The Tokyo Photographic Art Museum, which reopened in 2016 after a major renovation, plays a singularly important role even…

Animator Yamamura Kōji has won a reputation through works including the surreal Atamayama (Mount Head). In this interview he discusses the particular fascination of short-form animation, which he sees…

Hokusai: Beyond the Great Wave is an exhibition at the British Museum in London dedicated to the woodblock print artist Katsushika Hokusai. Featuring works from the last three decades of Hokusai’s rem…

Sakamoto Ryōma is one of Japan’s favorite historical figures and was a central mover in efforts to overthrow the shogunate 150 years ago. He was killed at the age of 31, however, and so did not live t…

Manila, July 27 (Jiji Press)—Ishizawa Yoshiaki, who worked for decades to save Cambodia's Angkor archaeological site, is among the winners of this year's Ramon Magsaysay Award, known as Asia's version…

Set in a quiet Tokyo neighborhood, So Books offers patrons a wide selection of photography books to browse through, each carefully selected by discerning owner Ogasawara Ikuo. Whether shopping for a g…

There are many ways of engaging with photography. Hayami Ihiro, a photography director who links people with photography through regional revitalization projects, photo festivals, and other large-scal…

Kanazawa, Ishikawa Pref., July 7 (Jiji Press)—A bunch of premium grapes developed in Ishikawa Prefecture, central Japan, fetched a record high of ¥1.11 million in the first auction of this season on F…

The British writer Michael Booth is known for his love of Japan and Japanese cuisine, which he chronicles in books beginning with his 2010 Sushi and Beyond: What the Japanese Know About Cooking. We sa…

Public bathhouses have long been popular in Japan, for reasons of community as much as hygiene. But when did they first emerge and how have they changed over the years? This article provides an overvi…

Many traditional neighborhood bathhouses are decorated with huge murals, often featuring Mount Fuji. Today, this tradition is kept alive by just three specialized artists. We spend the day with one of…

Tokyo, Feb. 23 (Jiji Press)—The umami savory taste of seafood dashi soup stock, an essence of washoku Japanese cuisine, is attracting renewed attention, including from young people and visitors to Jap…

Traditional Japanese architecture’s reliance on wood as a building material developed largely in response to Japan’s humid environment—particularly the warm, wet summer months. Raised floors and open …

Whether packed in its own elegant gift box or adorning a fancy pastry, the Japanese muskmelon is fruit at its most opulent. On this muskmelon tour, visit a Tokyo fruit parlor that boasts the ultimate …

Tourists often marvel at the beauty, size, and uniformity of Japanese fruit, but they are even more astounded at its price—as much as $200 for a muskmelon at an upscale urban fruit parlor. We provide …

The clothing worn by priests and priestesses at Shintō shrines is unlike anything you will see elsewhere in Japan. Here we describe the styles of traditional vestments that are part of the Shintō expe…

When not engaging in religious rites, priests and shrine personnel may rest in the shamusho, or shrine office. Here visitors can also obtain talismans to protect their homes and selves with the blessi…

At the heart of the shrine, never viewed by visitors, is the shintai, the “divine body” of the kami. At some shrines this is an object, like a jewel or sword; at others, it is a natural feature like a…

The structure called the honden is the heart of the Shintō facility, where its kami is enshrined. Observing the details of honden architecture can tell the visitor much about the nature of the shrine …